The present invention relates to an apparatus for reading film information for cartridge, and a method for the same. More particularly, it relates to a reading apparatus and reading method capable of reading film information of each stage automatically by one sensor, when film information such as film ID number and type of film provided in two or more stages on the outer surface of a cartridge in a form of bar code or the like.
Film information such as bar code is utilized in order to know the film information such as ID number, type and number of exposures of the film contained in a cartridge from outside the cartridge.
For example, as shown in FIG. 13, on the outer surface of an approximately cylindrical cartridge C, a bar code B1 indicating the ID number of the film, and a bar code B2 indicating the type of film, number of exposures, and other necessary date ( for example, film maker, production lot) are provided. When the sum of length of these two bar codes B1 and B2 is longer than the axial length of the cartridge C, the bar codes B1 and B2 are divided and provided in two or more stages.
When reading the bar codes B1 and B2 divided in two stages, two methods are known, one using one CCD sensor and the other using plural CCD sensors. In the former case, first of all, the bar code B1 is read by the CCD sensor, and the angle of the cartridge is adjusted by hand to place the bar code B2 before the CCD sensor, and the bar code B2 is read. In the latter case, on the other hand, the bar codes B1 and B2 are placed before the plural CCD sensors, and are read simultaneously.
The former method of using one CCD sensor requires manual adjustment of the cartridge angle, which takes time and labor. Besides, since the bar code is manually placed at specified detecting position, the bar code position is likely to deviate, and reading errors tend to occur.
The latter method of using plural CCD sensors makes an entire apparatus for reading large and complicated because a plurality of CCD sensors are needed. It also requires a wide space for reading plural bar codes simultaneously.
The invention is intended to solve these problems, and it is hence a primary object thereof to provide a reading apparatus and reading method capable of automatically reading film information such as bar codes provided in two or more stages on the outer surface of the cartridge by using one sensor, and also saving labor and downsizing the apparatus.